Background information
Team leadership is a complex undertaking that requires numerous attributes in order to guarantee success and propagation of ideals that characterize group contexts. Team leadership necessitates probity and ability to communicate and share ideas (Sonnenschein, 1999). It is impossible for leaders to actualize and propagate thoughts in absence of such thresholds of conduct and behaviour. For most people, leadership suffices as an opportunity for self-aggrandisement.
On the contrary, leadership should enable individuals to serve and commit efforts towards betterment of society (Sonnenschein, 1999). Within organizational contexts, leadership creates room for career development and enhancement. Most leaders fail to perform their roles due to little knowledge regarding overall expectations and standards that suffice with regard to such positions. In order to develop and hone proper leadership skills, individuals should always strive to understand specific parametrical thresholds that characterize such endeavours (Sonnenschein, 1999).
Devoid of such efforts, they risk losing pertinent opportunities that would contribute to career development and propagation. Specialized leadership domains necessitate positive action and inherent desire for progress and success in diverse areas of engagement (Sonnenschein, 1999). For instance, team leadership requires knowledge on various dynamics that manifest in situations that involve collective participation. Team leaders should possess skills in areas such as communication, delegation of duties, and assertion of authority. In absence of such competencies, team leaders cannot satisfactorily engage in teamwork (Sonnenschein, 1999).
The essence and rationale for team leadership
As earlier mentioned, team leadership is a complex undertaking that cannot materialize devoid of efforts that gear towards that end. Most team leaders find it difficult to contextualize crucial skills that support dissemination of ideas and thoughts within group contexts (Sonnenschein, 1999). It is important for team leaders to strive for success by constantly pursuing self-development and betterment. By gaining clear knowledge of various group dynamics, leaders put themselves in a position of authority and influence with regard to team members (Sonnenschein, 1999). In fact, it is imperative for team leaders to understand how teams respond to diverse situations within organizational contexts. According to management and leadership experts, teamwork is an integral component that often contributes to realization of basic ideals and aspirations as articulated in organizational vision and mission statements (Sonnenschein, 1999).
In absence of teamwork, organizations spend more on tasks that require less effort and resource allocation within collective contexts. Therefore, teams present appropriate avenues for attainment and realization of corporate ideals and aspirations. It is incumbent on corporate leaders to assign team leadership roles based on competence and ability in order to generate appropriate results. They should recognize importance and relevance of teamwork with regard to delivery of services within organizations (Sonnenschein, 1999).
Effective team leadership necessitates overall ability to guarantee output through proper management of team efforts and challenges that arise therewith. Although teams portend numerous benefits, it is important for leaders to appreciate and confront challenges that manifest in the course of their propagation (Black, 2011). Good team leaders must have capacity to handle issues that arise from competition among team members. If poorly dealt with, such competition could undermine efforts that seek to guarantee success within such collective entities. Most teams record failure due to unhealthy competition among members who seek to outdo each other through unnecessary supremacy contests (Black, 2011).
Team leadership requires ability to pre-empt and diffuse such occurrences in order to ensure good working relations among team members (Black, 2011). Team leaders should foster healthy relations among teammates and take stringent measures against those who violate basic codes that govern conduct within groups. Leaders who fail to uphold and propagate appropriate conduct could undermine sustainability and relevance with regard to overall essence of such collective organizational units (Black, 2011).
Team leaders should identify and resolve conflicts that arise within their units. It is necessary for them to understand group dynamics that suffice in such contexts. For instance, team members harbour subjective views and opinions on various issues that arise within their team (Black, 2011).
Good team leaders should have ability to synchronize such diversity in order to create structural and institutional frameworks that support unity of purpose. In such circumstances, a team leader should devise inspirational tactics that place collective interests above individual ones (Black, 2011). This is only possible through efforts that amplify collective participation and contribution. Team leaders should also delegate duties and responsibilities. If leaders insist on undertaking all duties, they risk creating situations that do not reflect essence and rationale for collective entities within organizations. Allocation of duties and responsibilities should suffice through considerations such as individual ability and willingness to actualize ideals that characterize teamwork (Black, 2011).
Competent team leaders should profile members according to skills and abilities. This facilitates allocation of duties in relation to delegation and dispersal of responsibilities. Team leaders should also involve members in decision making in order to earn respect (Black, 2011). This bolsters overall desire for success and accomplishment with regard to responsibilities that suffice within teams. Good team leaders should master appropriate communication skills that augment interaction with team members (Black, 2011). In absence of proper communication, it is difficult for team members to hone harmonious coexistence. Communication plays an important role in enhancing propagation of thoughts and ideas within group contexts. It also enables team members bring forth any issues and concerns that arise within their collective unit. Unless group leaders understand various dynamics of communication, they cannot master leadership in its entirety (Black, 2011).
Decision-making skills are also important in relation to team leadership within organizational contexts. Team leaders should have ability to actualize and implement decisions on issues and challenges that arise in diverse organizational contexts (Branch, 2006). Such leaders should offer guidance on pertinent issues that arise within their teams. This reality necessitates positive action and reaction to challenges that could undermine collective aspirations within corporate teams. Team leaders should strive to ensure motivation among team members (Branch, 2006).
Without appropriate levels of motivation, teams cannot gear towards realization of basic ideals and aspirations that characterize their undertakings. Group leaders should appraise members and praise them whenever necessary (Branch, 2006). As much as they seek to correct weaknesses, team leaders should recognize areas that record exemplary performance. This motivates members to pursue success in undertakings that suffice within the team (Branch, 2006).
Relevance of religion in the work place
Religion is an integral component with regard to human existence in contemporary social contexts. Individuals who subscribe to religious convictions must observe core ideals that manifest with regard to such beliefs (Branch, 2006). It is important for organizations to consider the aforementioned realities in order to create and propagate appropriate avenues that support harmonious coexistence at the work place (Branch, 2006).
Asking people to work on days of religious significance could precipitate conflict within organizational setups. For instance, it could reduce motivation and willingness to perform duties within an organization. Such coercive measures could affect relations between an organization and its employees (Branch, 2006). Organizations that fail to recognize and appreciate religion risk losing credibility with regard to upholding individual rights and liberties. Organizational leaders should endeavour to create institutional frameworks that guarantee rights and privileges for all employees (Branch, 2006). Religious affiliation should suffice as a key factor whenever organizations draft work schedules. Such schedules should exempt employees from duty on specific days of religious significance. Such policies entrench organizational fairness and credibility. It is important to note that fair policies enhance motivation that ultimately increases employee output and productivity (Branch, 2006).
Cultural realities in the work place
Culture is a ubiquitous concept in contemporary society. All human beings belong to cultural landscapes that determine behaviour and existence in diverse contexts. In most cases, cultural nuances contribute to holistic integration and coexistence within organizations (Edwards, 2013). Organizations comprise people from diverse cultural backgrounds. This makes it necessary for such entities to formulate institutional frameworks that recognize and appreciate cultural diversity within organizational entities (Edwards, 2013). Managers who take up positions in foreign organizations should strive to understand salient cultural realities that manifest within them (Edwards, 2013).
This ameliorates their ability to interpret and articulate various cultural codes. Cultural quirks can restrain a foreign manager from expressing ideas because they limit comprehension and ability to communicate within organizations (Edwards, 2013).
Multicultural leadership requires knowledge and skills that augment unity of purpose and professional orientation. Under such contexts, leaders must hone their ability to understand diverse cultural cues in order to support interaction and engagement within workplaces (Kinkus, 2011). Preparation for multicultural leadership suffices through conscious effort to learn and internalize relevant realities that characterize various cultural identities. Leaders who lack such skills cannot render effective service to organizations because they institute and propagate policies that disregard cultural factors with regard to organizational entities (Kinkus, 2011).
In order to acquire multicultural competence, organizational leaders should endeavour to embark on coaching. Job coaching offers opportunity for deeper understanding with regard to cultural cues and realities that manifest within organizations (Kinkus, 2011). Therefore, job coaching is an important area of interest that ultimately supports demystification of cultural complexities within organizations.
Non-verbal communication within organizations
Non-verbal communication is important because it complements verbal expressions in instances of interaction (Newell, 2010). Misunderstandings in this area could precipitate conflicts within organizations. For instance, gestures and facial expressions are usually prone to misinterpretation. This could lead to conflict among employees in an organization (Newell, 2010). It is important for employees to understand meanings and interpretations that suffice through such gesticulations. Such knowledge reduces conflict and undue misunderstandings within organizational settings (Newell, 2010). By misunderstanding non-verbal communication, employees could construct meanings that negate culturally accepted inclinations. Such occurrences could also precipitate unconventional relations among employees in organizations. Therefore, it is important for individuals to understand basic tenets that characterize non-verbal communication within corporate contexts (Newell, 2010).
References
Black, H. (2011). Management: Principles and Practices. London: Van Reinhold Press. Web.
Branch, A. (2006). Export Practice and Management. Newyork: Cengage Learning EMEA. Web.
Edwards, J. (2013). Modern Approach to Management and Techniques. Newyork: CENGAGE. Web.
Kinkus, A. (2011). Principles of Team leadership. London: Demos Publishing. Web.
Newell, E. (2010). Fundamentals of organizational success. London: Oxford University Press. Web.
Sonnenschein, W. (1999). The Diversity Toolkit: How You Can Build and Benefit From a Diverse Workforce. Newyork: McGraw Hill Professional. Web.